A breast lift results in firmer, higher breasts with a natural, youthful shape and position. For a large number of women, a breast lift is the perfect solution to eliminate extra skin after weight loss, correct a natural asymmetry or counter the effects of gravity that come with pregnancy, hormonal changes and aging.
The breast lift procedure can be done as a stand-alone surgery or in conjunction with a breast augmentation or reduction. An expert NJ plastic surgeon, specializing in breast surgery, will plan your surgery around your specific needs.
The breast lift is a safe surgery that can restore your figure to a former state that you would like to recapture or correct issues like sagging breasts, lowered or downward pointed nipples and breast flattening that can occur as skin stretches. To achieve the new, uplifted look, you’ll face some scarring but it should be invisible when you are clothed or even in a bikini top.
Before Breast Lift Surgery: Things to Consider
Are You A Good Candidate?
To get the most benefit from a breast lift, candidates should have:
- Good health.
- Steady weight.
- Non-smoking lifestyle.
- Realistic goals.
Communication is Crucial to Breast Lift Success
Although the breast lift is a popular procedure that is commonly done, that does not mean it’s a simple surgery that any plastic surgeon can perform.
Choosing an NJ plastic surgeon with top-level credentials is vital to ensure that you receive the best care. In addition, you must choose a breast surgeon with whom you can talk to and feel comfortable. Be sure your surgeon takes an active interest in what you want from your breast lift.
This means your NJ plastic surgeon should ask you questions and listen to you as you describe what you want from your surgery. You’ll need to describe how you want to look after your breast lift. You should talk about what bothers you about your breasts or what you would like to correct. You need to have this in-depth discussion to clarify your wishes, get input and advice from your surgeon and ensure that you’re working toward the same goal.
After examining you, learning what you are looking for from your breast lift and ensuring that your goals are achievable, you’ll learn the specific plan.
Your surgeon should carefully explain the procedure that s/he will use to achieve the look that you seek, whether it is higher breasts, perky breasts, larger or smaller breasts, more rounded breasts, etc. It’s vital that you clearly understand these details to help you make an informed decision about your surgery and enjoy a successful result. Be sure to prioritize good communication when selecting your breast surgeon.
Breast Lift Aesthetics
To receive the attractive result you want from your breast lift, you need more than good communication, of course. You’ll need to choose an NJ surgeon whose sense of beauty matches yours – at least with regard to breasts.
One way to assess this is to study the before-and-after photos in your surgeon’s portfolio. Another way is to discuss the results you like (and don’t like) with your surgeon.
Your breast surgeon should be able to discuss the natural shape and position of breasts for your frame and body type. Your surgeon can advise you if the changes you want are realistic and explain what is necessary to achieve the result.
If you and your surgeon prepare in this careful way before your breast lift surgery, the surgical plan and your goals should align perfectly–so that you enjoy the very best possible breast lift outcome.
Your Breast Lift Strategy
Depending on the specifics of your current breast shape and size, and your desired outcome, your plastic surgeon will create a plan for your procedure. The plan may include breast implants or a breast reduction along with the lift, if necessary to create the result you want.
To achieve your surgical goals, your NJ breast lift surgeon will make an incision around the areola and may also make an incision in the breast crease (under your breast) and a vertical incision connecting the two.
Your areola may be reduced in size at this time if desired. Your extra skin will be removed and the breast tissue gently re-shaped to a rounded form, higher up on your chest. Your nipples will be re-positioned higher.
Accepting and Minimizing Breast Lift Scars
Over time, scars from your breast lift incisions may fade to thin white lines. The inevitable scars don’t generally interfere with breast lift satisfaction, especially when you’ve discussed this thoroughly with your surgeon in advance.
Get an idea of what to expect by viewing a variety of “after” photos of prior patients your surgeon has treated. The long-term outcome of scarring varies greatly from woman to woman, depending upon genetics, skin thickness and other factors.
If you have a propensity to form raised scars, discuss this with your surgeon to learn what you can expect after your breast lift and ensure that you’re a good candidate for the procedure. If you’re a smoker, you may not be a good candidate for surgery because smoking interferes with healing and affects skin elasticity. Talk to your breast lift specialist in NJ about your specific case.
The good news is that actions taken by you and your surgeon, during and after your surgery, can help to minimize breast lift scars. When you’ve chosen an expert surgeon, his or her surgical experience and well-honed technique will work in your favor to help minimize the potential for prominent breast lift scars.
During your breast lift, your surgeon will remove excess skin and tissue, then reshape remaining tissue and suture the breast skin, taking care to limit excess pressure on any one area. When you carefully follow your post-surgery instructions, your scars will have the opportunity to heal optimally.
Your Future Plans: Preserving Your Breast Lift Results
Your surgeon will also be interested in your future plans for weight changes or pregnancy. Maintaining a stable weight helps preserve the results of your breast lift. However, if you become pregnant after a breast lift, you typically will retain the ability to breastfeed.
Do discuss your plans with your NJ breast lift surgeon to get a personalized view of how your breast lift will proceed. Your breast tissue will continue to age and still be subject to the effects of gravity and your other physical changes over time. Most former patients agree that a past breast lift improves your look, even as you age.
After Your Breast Lift
Breast Lift Recovery
- Immediately after your breast lift: After your breast lift surgery, your chest will be swollen, sore and uncomfortable for a few days with typically little pain. You will have access to prescription pain medication if needed. You’ll be securely bandaged with a surgical compression bra over the bandages (and you may have a small drain tube or two). These will remain in place for the first few days after your breast lift. You should have a pal stay with you for 24 hours.
- Up and around: You will be moving freely around your house within a day or two, but without lifting, bending over or stretching of the torso. Placing excess pressure on the surgery area early in the healing process can cause bleeding or widened scars as you heal. Walking around the house is encouraged to help prevent constipation and improve blood flow to the limbs.
- Caring for surgery sites: Your incisions will be covered with surgical tape under your bandages. Any non-absorbable breast lift stitches are removed by week 2. You will need to wear a support bra 24/7 for 2 to 4 weeks. Showers are generally fine once bandages are removed, but be sure to follow your surgeon’s specific instruction.
- Swelling and sensation: Your breasts and nipples will feel numb and sensation typically begins to return as swelling subsides throughout the next 2 months. Some areas may be numb for up to a year. Rarely, some numbness may remain permanently.
- Contacting your surgeon: Between follow-up visits, talk to your surgeon if you have any concerns or notice signs of infection or other complications. (You’ll have an information sheet telling you for what to watch out.)
- Resuming activity: Avoid strain to your upper torso and avoid raising your blood pressure until given the go-ahead by your NJ plastic surgeon. You may need to forego sex for a week or so and skip strenuous exercise for at least a month.
- Back to work: Depending upon the extent of your breast lift, you will need 1 to 3 weeks away from work. If your job is physically demanding, more time off may be needed. Alternatively, you could consider returning to work with light duties at first. No lifting overhead for a month or until cleared by your breast surgeon.
Breast Lift Results
Enjoy your new figure as your breasts begin to look and feel better daily, but don’t invest in new bras or wardrobe until your breast lift swelling has subsided. This can take several months, but try to remain patient as your breasts heal and achieve their new appearance.
Don’t be surprised as you begin to feel more energetic, more self-confident, more youthful or more “in-shape” than before. Plan what you’ll say when others ask if you’ve lost weight or compliment you on your smile because they’ll see it more and more often.
Ensure the very best outcome from your breast lift by consulting with an expert NJ plastic surgeon specializing in breast surgery. Contact Cohen/Winters Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery in Bergen County today.
